Idioms

English fixed expressions — phrases whose meaning isn't obvious from the individual words. Each entry shows the meaning, an example sentence, and its register.

Idioms Informal Neutral Formal
158 idioms

Tier 0 · most common (4)

keep an eye on something Neutral
To watch something carefully or look after it.
keep an eye on someone Neutral
To watch someone or something carefully to make sure nothing goes wrong.
break someone's heart Neutral
To make someone feel deep emotional pain, often by ending a relationship.
better late than never Neutral
Doing something after a delay is better than not doing it at all.

Tier 1 · common (38)

on the other hand Neutral
used to introduce a contrasting point of view or alternative
bear in mind Neutral
to remember and consider something when making a decision
on the one hand Neutral
used to introduce the first of two contrasting points or sides of an argument
in the hands of Neutral
under the control or responsibility of someone
in the long run Neutral
over a long period of time; eventually
trial and error Neutral
trying different methods until you find one that works
in the early days Neutral
during the beginning stages of something
in the short run Neutral
over a short period of time; in the near future
the whole story Neutral
all the facts about a situation, including ones not yet known
the high point Neutral
the best or most enjoyable part of an event or period
make up one's own mind Neutral
to decide something for yourself, independently of others
on one hand Neutral
used to introduce the first of two contrasting points
overall picture Neutral
the complete view of a situation, including all the main parts
golden rule Neutral
the most important rule or principle to follow
the good life Neutral
a comfortable, enjoyable way of living, often with few worries
pros and cons Neutral
the advantages and disadvantages of something
a fair share Neutral
a reasonable or fairly large amount of something
make up one's mind Neutral
to reach a decision about something
break the ice Neutral
To do or say something that eases tension and gets people talking comfortably in an unfamiliar social situation.
hit the nail on the head Neutral
To describe or identify something exactly right.
once in a blue moon Neutral
Very rarely, almost never.
a blessing in disguise Neutral
Something that seems bad at first but turns out to have a good outcome.
kill two birds with one stone Neutral
To accomplish two tasks with a single effort or action.
the best of both worlds Neutral
A situation in which you enjoy the advantages of two different things at the same time.
see eye to eye Neutral
To agree completely with someone.
get out of hand Neutral
To become impossible to control.
go the extra mile Neutral
To make more effort than is expected or required.
easier said than done Neutral
Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.
on the same page Neutral
In agreement or sharing the same understanding.
the early bird catches the worm Neutral
Those who act promptly have the best chance of success.
actions speak louder than words Neutral
What you do matters more than what you say.
the icing on the cake Neutral
An extra good thing that makes a good situation even better.
have your hands full Neutral
To be very busy or fully occupied with responsibilities.
a fish out of water Neutral
Someone who feels uncomfortable because they are in an unfamiliar situation.
tighten your belt Neutral
To spend less money because you have less than before.
make ends meet Neutral
To earn just enough money to cover your basic expenses.
learn the ropes Neutral
To learn how to do a job or task properly.
every cloud has a silver lining Neutral
Every difficult situation has some hopeful or positive aspect.

Tier 2 · intermediate (94)

the balance of power Neutral
the way power or influence is distributed between competing groups or countries
the bottom line Neutral
the most important fact or the final result of something
take on board Neutral
to accept and consider an idea, suggestion, or piece of information
by and large Neutral
generally; on the whole
a step further/back Neutral
to take an idea or action to a more advanced point (further) or to reconsider it (back)
take for granted Neutral
to fail to appreciate something or assume it will always be there
along the lines of Neutral
similar to; roughly in the style or manner of
balance of power Neutral
the way power or influence is shared between competing groups or nations
at the back of one's mind Neutral
a thought or worry that you are vaguely aware of but not focusing on
across the board Neutral
affecting everyone or everything equally
in its own right Neutral
by its own qualities, independently of anything else
driving force Neutral
the person or thing that makes something happen or develop
on the face of it Neutral
judging only by appearances, without deeper examination
come into play Neutral
to start to have an effect or become relevant
gold standard Neutral
the best or most reliable example of its kind
go without saying Neutral
to be so obvious that it does not need to be stated
(take) a step back/further Neutral
to pause and reconsider (back), or to develop something more (further)
state of the art Neutral
using the most advanced and modern techniques or technology
the man/woman in the street Neutral
an ordinary, average person
stepping stone Neutral
something that helps you make progress toward a goal
get to grips with Neutral
to begin to understand and deal with a difficult problem or task
go hand in hand with Neutral
to be closely connected or to happen together
the big picture Neutral
the most important facts about a situation and its overall effect, rather than the details
bridge the gap Neutral
to reduce or remove the difference between two things or groups
golden age Neutral
a period when something was at its most successful or admired
grey area Neutral
a situation that is unclear or not covered by clear rules
the other side of the coin Neutral
a different or opposite aspect of a situation
last resort Neutral
the final option, used only when all others have failed
cast one's mind back Neutral
to think about something that happened in the past
full circle Neutral
back to the original position or state after a series of changes
out of one's hands Neutral
no longer one's responsibility or under one's control
in the pipeline Neutral
being planned or developed and expected to happen soon
behind the scenes Neutral
happening privately or secretly, not in public view
spring to mind Neutral
to come into your thoughts suddenly and easily
take home message Neutral
the main point or lesson you should remember from something
ring true Neutral
to seem true or believable
set something in stone Neutral
to make something fixed and impossible to change
in store Neutral
about to happen or waiting to be experienced in the future
go down that route Neutral
to choose a particular method or course of action
turn something on its head Neutral
to completely change something or make it the opposite of what it was
on one's hands Neutral
as one's responsibility or problem to deal with
track record Neutral
a person's or organization's past performance and achievements
come to light Neutral
to become known or be discovered, especially something hidden
one's fair share Neutral
a reasonable or quite large amount of something, especially difficulties
the big(ger) picture Neutral
the wider, more important situation rather than the small details
rule of thumb Neutral
a rough, practical guideline based on experience rather than exact measurement
dear to one's heart Neutral
very important to someone and loved deeply
to say the least Neutral
used to show that something is more extreme than your words suggest
set the scene Neutral
to describe the background so that something can be understood, or to create the conditions for it
have the upper hand Neutral
to have an advantage or more control than someone else
on that note Neutral
used to move on or end after what was just said
in one's sights Neutral
chosen as a target or goal that you intend to achieve or pursue
set foot in Neutral
to enter or visit a place, often used in negatives
a bad press Neutral
unfavorable reporting or reputation in the media or among people
get one's message across Neutral
to make people understand what you mean or want to say
stand to reason Neutral
to be logical or obvious
go down the road of Neutral
to start following a particular course of action
throw up one's hands Neutral
to show that you give up or feel helpless about something
cast an eye over Neutral
to look at or examine something quickly
the ball is in your court Neutral
It is now your responsibility to make the next decision or move.
bite the bullet Neutral
To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult that you have been avoiding.
burn the midnight oil Neutral
To stay up very late working or studying.
cut corners Neutral
To do something cheaply or quickly by skipping important steps, often lowering quality.
the last straw Neutral
The final small problem that makes a situation no longer tolerable.
the tip of the iceberg Neutral
A small visible part of a much larger hidden problem.
back to the drawing board Neutral
To start again from the beginning after a plan has failed.
add fuel to the fire Neutral
To make a bad situation or an argument worse.
face the music Neutral
To accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions.
jump on the bandwagon Neutral
To join a popular trend or activity because many others are doing it.
the elephant in the room Neutral
An obvious problem that everyone notices but avoids discussing.
the cream of the crop Neutral
The very best people or things in a group.
let sleeping dogs lie Neutral
To avoid raising an old issue that could cause trouble.
take it with a grain of salt Neutral
To treat something as not fully reliable or true.
the grass is always greener on the other side Neutral
Other people's situations always seem better than your own.
burn bridges Neutral
To destroy a relationship in a way that makes future cooperation impossible.
cross that bridge when you come to it Neutral
To deal with a problem only when it actually arises, not before.
the apple of someone's eye Neutral
A person who is cherished above all others.
the calm before the storm Neutral
A quiet, peaceful period right before a time of trouble or intense activity.
read between the lines Neutral
To understand a hidden or implied meaning that is not stated directly.
keep something at arm's length Neutral
To avoid becoming too close or too involved with someone or something.
turn a blind eye Neutral
To deliberately ignore something you know is wrong.
wear your heart on your sleeve Neutral
To show your feelings openly rather than hiding them.
take the bull by the horns Neutral
To deal with a difficult situation directly and bravely.
let the dust settle Neutral
To wait until a confusing or troubled situation becomes calm before acting.
the lion's share Neutral
The largest part of something that is divided.
a bull in a china shop Neutral
A clumsy person who causes damage or upset in a delicate situation.
in the red Neutral
Owing money or operating at a financial loss.
foot the bill Neutral
To pay for something, especially something expensive.
pull your weight Neutral
To do your fair share of the work in a group.
think outside the box Neutral
To approach a problem in a fresh, creative, unconventional way.
raise the bar Neutral
To set a higher standard of quality or achievement.
don't count your chickens before they hatch Neutral
Don't assume success until it has actually happened.
don't put all your eggs in one basket Neutral
Don't risk everything on a single plan or possibility.
when in rome, do as the romans do Neutral
Follow the local customs when you are in an unfamiliar place.

Tier 3 · advanced (22)

beg the question Neutral
to make one naturally want to ask a particular question; (formally) to assume the very point being argued
set in tablets of stone Neutral
fixed permanently and impossible to change
at loggerheads Neutral
in strong disagreement or conflict with someone
sow seeds of thought Neutral
to introduce ideas that may grow and develop in people's minds later
grass roots movement Neutral
a movement started and driven by ordinary people rather than leaders or organizations
put one's head above the parapet Neutral
to risk criticism by stating an opinion publicly
moot point Neutral
a question that is debatable or no longer relevant because it has been settled or made irrelevant
round robin Neutral
an arrangement in which everyone takes a turn or competes against everyone else; or a letter sent to many people
not to mince one's words Neutral
to speak directly and honestly, even if it is unpleasant
the powers that be Neutral
the people who hold authority and make important decisions
devil's advocate Neutral
someone who argues against an idea just to test it or explore other views
a storm in a teacup Neutral
A great deal of fuss made about a trivial matter.
a leopard can't change its spots Neutral
A person's basic character cannot fundamentally change.
a wolf in sheep's clothing Neutral
A dangerous person who pretends to be harmless or friendly.
go against the grain Neutral
To do something that conflicts with what is usual or with your nature.
the world is your oyster Neutral
You are free to enjoy all the opportunities life has to offer.
a dark horse Neutral
A person who surprises everyone by showing unexpected talent or success.
tighten the purse strings Neutral
To become more careful and strict about spending money.
have too many irons in the fire Neutral
To be involved in too many activities at once.
out of the frying pan into the fire Neutral
To escape one bad situation only to land in a worse one.
a stitch in time saves nine Neutral
Fixing a small problem early prevents a much bigger one later.
let bygones be bygones Neutral
To forgive and forget past disagreements.

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